Electric battery.



`H. H. HIRSCH.

ELECTRI TERY...

APPLICATION Fl AY 12-. |911.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

UMTED STATES PnTENT orrrcn.

HIRAM H. HIRscH, oF PHILADELPIA', PENNSYLVANIA.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it lmown that I, HnzscH, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in' Electric Batteries, whereof the foliowing is a specification, reference be= ing had to the accompanying drawing.

My invention is particularly applicable to a portable storagebattery designed to be used in connection with a miners lamp, but may be advantageously utilized' in any bat vtery which is subjected to such movement as would tend to spill or otherwise abnormally displace the electrolyte; my invention including a gelatinous electrolyte which is coherent to such a degree as to permit the battery to be inverted without disturbing the coperative relation of the electrolyte with respect to the electrodes.

My .invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the drawings Figure I is a plan view of a battery conveniently embodying my iinprovement. Fig. II is a verticalv sectional View of said battery taken on the line II, II, in Fig. I. Fig. III is a perspective view of the upper electrode shown in Fig. II.

In said figures; the cell 1, of insulating material, for instance glass or hard rubber or other molded material, is provided with the cover 2 which its in it as indicated and is preferably made of hard :rubber or suitable molded insulating compound having an electrolyte inlet 32 opening therethrough, screw threaded to engage the screw plug 33 by which it is normally closed. The joint between said cell 1 andl ccver 2 is preferably sealed by a plastic medium 3, and, said cover is provided with two electrode terminal outlets 4 and 5 extending vertically therethrough. The electrodes 7 and 8 aregconveniently plane, perforated lead castingsA opposed in horizontallyparallel position in said cell 1 having respective terminals 10 and vl1 at respectively opposite ends thereof including overhangmg `flanges 12 and 13 and vertical standards 14 and 15, thelatter l extending through the respective electrode terminal outlets -4 and 5 in said cover 2.

' The washers 16 of resilient insulating material, preferably soft rubber, are interposed between said cover and said Vterminal flanges, surrounding the respective terminal standards 14 and 15. Conductor engaging means carried by said terminal 'standards ELECTRIC BATTERY.

Specication of Letters latent. Pafented May 16, 1916,. Y Application mea my 12, 1911. serial Np. 626,736. i I

tending through said standards, nuts 20 and A 21 on saidbolts, and spring clips 22 held in contact with said standards by said bolts. It is to be understood that said clips maylbe flexed as indicated in Fig. I so as to bring their bights 23 and 24 in registry to receive and resiliently engage the end of a wire conductor between them. The foraminous diaphragmi26 which is conveniently formed of4 insulating material like the cover 2 is fitted in saidcell 1 between said'V overhanging terminal flanges 12 and 13 and the uper'electrode 8, in spaced relation with the atter. Said diaphragm is perforated so that the electrolyte may 'gravitate therethrough when in liquid form but is retained,

by sald diaphragm, in operative relation with the electrodes 7 and 8 when congealed,

so that when congealed the electrolyte cantween said electrodes 7 and 8, and, a similar .Y insulating element 29 extends between said upper electrode 8 and the terminal 10 of the lower electrode 7. Accidental contact of said electrodes with each Iother is prevented by said insulating elements 28 and 29 and the latter also serves to prevent the downward movement of said diaphragm 26 .andV maintain the latter in spaced relation with the upper electrode 8. Said insulating elements 28 and 29 permit access of the electrolyte to all sides of said electrcdes 7 and 8 which, in' a storage battery, are perforated grids filled with suitable active material whichris alsa perforated as shown in dotted linesfin Fig. II. The electrolyte 30 is cclloid, coherent and ofsuch consistency that VYat atmospheric temperatures Yit may be` inverted without disturbing itsrcoperative relation with the electrodes. Y 1i I have found it convenient to produce an electrolyte having the characteristics herein contemplated, by mixing ninety-two per cent. of sodium silicate with eight per cent. of potassium silicate, forming a mixture having a specific gravity of 1.60; then diluting said mixture with water until it has a specific gravityof 1.18. I mix sulfuric acid of the specific gravity of 1.84 with sufficient water to reduce it to a specific gravity of 1.30 and adding tothe mixture about one half gram of ammonium sulfate to each pound of the sulfuric acid. Equal parts of the two aqueous solutions aforesaid are mixed to form the electrolyte. The mixture of said two aqueous solutions may be immediately poured into the cell to the position shownrin Fi II andv thereupon coagulates to the desired consistency to render it coherent tothe degree contemplated.

Although I find it convenient to produce an electrolyte as herein described, it is' to I be understood that any suitable electrolyte having the desired degree of coherence may.

be employed. Therefore, I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from-the essential features of my` invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim x 1. Ina battery, the combination with a cell; of `electrodes inv said cell, capable` of congelation at a temperature above thefreezing point of water; a congealable electrolyte in said cell in operative relation with "said electrodes; and, a rigid plane foraminous diap the top of said electrolyte whereby said electrolyte is retained in operative relation with said electrodes, when congealed, 4but is Permitted to ass through said diaphragm when liquefied? p 2. In an electric storage battery, the combination with a cell of insulating material of a cover for said cell, capable of congelation at Aa temperature above the freezing point of water, electrodes in saidcell 'extending parallel with said cover; a congealable electrolyte in said cell in operative relation with said electrodes; and, a vdia-- phragm in said cell, extending parallel with said cover and electrodes, in contact withsaid. electrolyte whereby said electrolyte'isvretained in operative relation withfsaid; electrodes, when c'o aled, but is'permitted to passsaid diap gm when liquefied.

Y Y3. In an electric battery, the combination with a' cell of insulat' material; of 'a cover for said cell, two electrode' terminal outlets; v.two electrodes opposed in horizontally-v` parallel lposition in saidcell,

havin at respectively o osite ends t reef inc lndingvertic'al standali'ds extending through. the -respective electrode A terminal outlets in saidv cover; .a congeal- Y able electrolyte, capable of congelation .at a jtemperatu're .above the freezing. point of water; andga'foraminous diaphragm fitted.

an e" upin said cell, vbearing upon per one of said electrodes in spaced relation with the latter, whereby said electrolyte is retained in operative relation with said electrodes, when congealed, but is permitted to Ias through said diaphragm when liquecell; of electrodes in said cell extending l horizontally; a congealable electrolyte i-n said cell, capable of congelation at a temperature above the freezing point of water, in operative relation with said electrodes;

by liquid at atmospheric pressure, extending horizontaly in said cell; forming a compartment in said cell inclosing said electrolyte with said electrodes; whereby said electrolyte is retained in operative relation with said electrodes, rwhen congealed, but is permitted to pass through said diaphragm when liqueed.

6. In an electric battery,l the combinationv with a cell; of two electrodes opposed in horizontally parallel position in said cell, one above the other, and having openings extending lverticallythrough them 1n axial Aalinement; a congealed electrolyte extending from one electrode to the other through said openings; and a diaphragm, extending `hori`zontally in said cell, above the upper electrode,constructed and arranged to prevent the escape of said electrolyte from opand a foraminous diaphragm, permeable erative vrelation with vsaid electrodes; said diaphragm Y having an opening through which said electrolyte may pass, at atmospheric pressure, when li ueed; whereby said electrolyte' 'may be inserted and nemoved, 'when liquefied, without removal-of said diaphragm.

Inimony whereof, l'-I have hereunto i signed'my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this eighth day of May, 1911.

Y inRAMH. Hrason.V

Witnesses:

' HARRY ScrrwARTz,

ARNOLD Kurz. 

